Los Angeles: Bicycling, Equity & the EnvironmentPowershift 2011

Dorothy Kieu LeApril 16, 2011

image source: http://brighamyen.com/2011/04/11/my-first-ciclavia-adventure-in-los-angeles/

Transportation accounts for more than 2/3 of U.S. oil consumption, and transportation vehicles emit 27 percent of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions (a further 9 percent of U.S. emissions are emitted from vehicle manufacture and motor fuel production) (IPCC, 2007)

image source: http://jcwinnie.biz/wordpress/imageSnag/automobile-emissions-meet-climate-change.jpg

image source: http://www.green-wheels.org/transportation-equity

"Regular walking and cycling are the only realistic way that the population as a whole can get the daily half hour of moderate exercise which is the minimum level needed to keep reasonably fit” (Litman, 2002, November 18, p. 5).

“Gender parity is considered an important indicator of the success of a city’s bicycle program in creating safe, comfortable and attractive conditions for bicycling.” (Portland Bicycle Counts 2008)

Female Ridership Increases as Bike Infrastructure Increases

Data Source: 2009 L.A. Bike Count, 25 intersections with complete data from 3 time periods.

Fem

ale

Rid

ers

hip

Level of InfrastructureP=0.003 r=.434

Bike Infrastructure & Female Ridership

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “more than 1.2 million people die in road traffic crashes every year” (WHO). WHO estimates that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for those aged 15-29 in many parts of the global south.

image source: http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/common/TIS/AH/files/egm06/roadsafety_vietnam_ppt.pdf

Projects in LA on the intersection between bicycling, equity, environment

•Ciclavia •Video: http://vimeo.com/22330816

•Bici Digna•Video: http://vimeo.com/22330816

•Bike Plan Equity Language

http://brighamyen.com/2011/04/11/my-first-ciclavia-adventure-in-los-angeles/

image from: http://www.bikesidela.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ciclavia_flyer_web.jpg

image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciclavia/5475406069/sizes/l/in/photostream/

image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevedevol/5608386550/sizes/o/in/photostream/

Image from: http://ciudaddeluces.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/bikeplan.png

References

Litman, T. (2002, November 18). If health matters: Integrating public health objectives in transportation decision-making. Victoria, BC: Victoria Policy Transport Institute. Available at www.vtpi.org